The eviction order applies to about 600 vendors who set up shop on both sides of Silom every evening. A spokesperson, Su-amphan Detsrimontri, stated that the stallholders had sent the petition to prime-minister Prayut Chan-ocha on Monday and had suggested changing the market’s operating hours from 21:00 to 02:00 so that it did not impede the flow of traffic through Bang Rak District.
Ms Detsrimontri also claimed that stallholders had not received any prior notices about the meeting that had decided their fate. She continued by saying that the alternate market site the BMA had offered was impractical and did not receive much foot traffic.
When the eviction was announced, BMA spokesperson Vallop Suwandee said souvenir, clothing and food vendors blocked Silom with their vehicles. They also took up much of the pavements which should be reserved for the use of pedestrians.
Mr Suwandee said other issues were caused by food sellers who blocked drains with their waste and a number of vendors who sold the likes of X-films and fake designer articles. The eviction of stallholders on Silom does not affect those on the adjacent lanes of Patpong who will be able to carry on business as usual.
Bangkok Silom Night Market stallholders refuse to move
News in Asia
Stallholders at Bangkok’s Silom Road Night Market say they do not want to move and have asked the Thai prime-minister for help. Vendors were given their marching orders by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) earlier this month and have until midnight on Tuesday to comply.